Wire tying machine



Oct. 12, 1965 K. PAULE ETAL WIRE 'IYING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledAug. 6, 1963 a a V F r W Mi M #MA 12, 1965 K. PAULE ETAL 3,211,187

WIRE TYING MACHINE Filed Aug. 6, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 /NVEN70Q 5 1965K. PAULE ETAL 3,21

WIRE TYING MACHINE Filed Aug. 6, 1963 6 Sheets-Sheet S United StatesPatent 3,211,187 WERE TYING MAfIHlNE Kurt Paule, Stuttgart-Oberturkheim,and Alfred Hettich, Echterdingen, Wurttemberg, Germany, assiguors toRobert Bosch G.m.b.H., Stuttgart, Germany Filed Aug. 6, 1963, Ser. No.300,300 Claims priority, application Germany, Aug. 22, 1962, B 68,526 16Claims. (Cl. 140-119) The present invention relates to a wire tyingmachine, and more particularly to a portable machine for tying twistedwire loops about so-called Monier rods which are iron rods forreinforcing concrete structures.

Known wire tying machines are applied to U-shaped wire pieces which arepreformed with eyelets into which hooks of the machine are inserted forthe purpose of twisting the ends of the U-shaped wire sections. Suchprefabricated wire sections have disadvantages inasmuch as they areexpensive to manufacture, are frequently lost and destroyed at thebuilding place, and tend to hook into each other, so that the separationof the wire pieces is dilficult and time consuming.

When wire is cut off a supply spool, considerable difficulties areencountered when an attempt is made to tie the wires about thereinforcing iron rods in such a manner that the wire ends can besimultaneously clamped in a rotary twisting tool.

Particularly at locations where large concrete structures are erected,it is desired to tie the horizontal reinforcing rods, which crossvertical reinforcing rods, in such a manner with wire loops that workmancan use the horizontal reinforcing rods as steps or rungs for climbingthe structure.

It is one object of the present invention to provide a wire tyingmachine for tying the reinforcing rods of a concrete structure to eachother.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable wiretying machine for this purpose which includes supply means for the wireof which the tying loops are formed.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a wire tyingmachine for twisting wires in such a manner that they form a tight loopabout an object, such as a pair of concrete reinforcing rods.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable fullyautomatic wire tying machine which, when placed by the operator in theregion of an object to be tied, will tie a twisted loop about the objectwhen its motor is started.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wire tying machineincluding supply reels for wires, and cutting means by which a necesarylength of wire is cut off before a loop is automatically twisted.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine forautomatically making twisted loops about objects.

With these objects in view, the present invention relates to a tyingmachine which is particularly suited for forming twisted loops of wires.One embodiment of the machine comprises feeding means for transportingwires spaced from each other along a path; two rotary holding means forthe wires spaced along the wires; and operating means for operating thefeeding means and for rotating the holding means in a timed sequence.

When the feeding means insert a plurality of wires located on oppositesides of an object into the two rotary holding means, the wires are cutolf by cutting means, and then twisted together to form a tight loopabout an object located between the two rotary holding means.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, two rotarytwisting and clamping means having a common axis of rotation aredisposed spaced along the axis of rotation from each other, and thefeeding means are constructed to feed selected lengths of parallel wiresunwound from supply reels to the twisting and clamping means so that theleading end portions of the wires are clamped between the farthertwisting and clamping means, and other portions of the wires are clampedby the other twisting and clamping means. Cutting means are secured tothe other twisting and clamping means for rotation to cut the wires, andwhen the feeding means, and the twisting and clamping means are rotated,the end portions and the other portions of the wires are twistedtogether and thereby shortened and withdrawn from the twisting andclamping means to permit removal of the tied object with the twistedloop which was formed of the cut off portions of the wires.

The term wire is used in the present application to denote any elongatedthin element which may be used for tying purposes, and is not limited tometal wires, or wires made of plastic material. However, the preferredembodiment of the invention is intended to be used with metal wires.

In accordance with the present invention, the machine includes aportable support which is adapted to be manually held and directed by anoperator. Drive means in the form of an electric motor are mounted onthe support, and supply means, for example a pair of supply reels hold asupply of wires on the support. Guide means are disposed on the supportfor guiding wires transported by the feeding means from the supply reelsinto the region of the twisting and clamping means, and for placing thewire portions to be twisted in a parallel position in which they can beproperly clamped by the twisting and clamping means.

The feeding means preferably include transporting rollers engaging thewires and driven from the drive motor through a one revolution clutch sothat only a certain selected length of wires is fed to the combinedtwisting and clamping means when the motor is started by the operator.This selected length corresponds to the distance between the clampingand twisting means which may be adjusted in accordance with thedimensions of the object to be tied by a twisted wire loop. By couplingthe feeding means sooner or later after the start of the motor with thedrive shaft, the length of the fed wire portions can be selected.

When the twisting operation is completed, the twisting and clampingmeans are automatically stopped in a position in which, during the nextfollowing operation, the wires can be inserted into the clamping meansin which they are automatically clamped during the twisting operationwhich is accomplished by rotating the clamping means.

In order to achieve a properly timed sequence of operations, the motordrives a control shaft with control cam means which operate first andsecond coupling means for first connecting the feeding means to themotor, and for then disconnecting the feeding means from the motor andfor connecting the twisting and clamping means to the motor so that thetwisting and clamping means are r0 tated. By adjusting the relativeangular position between the control cams, the time period during whichthe control cams associated with the feeding means is effective can beadjusted, whereby the length of the wire portions fed to the combinedtwisting and clamping means is determined.

The novel features which are considered as charac teristic for theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method ofoperation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, willbe best understood from the following description of specific J)embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View illustrating a wire tying machine accordingto one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken on line IIIIin FIG. 2, with certain elements omitted for the sake of clarity;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line III-III in FIG. 2,certain elements being omitted for the sake of clarity;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary developed view illustrating transmission meansforming part of the machine, and being partly omitted in FIGS. 2 and 3;and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary schematic developed view illustrating cam tracksof control cam means used in the machine.

Referring now to the drawing, and particularly to FIG. 1, a motor, notshown, is mounted within a housing part which is attached to the mainhousing of the machine. Another housing part 13 is connected to the mainhousing 12. Supply reels 21 and 22 are rotatably mounted on the mainhousing 12 and are adapted to let off a pair of wires 25 and 26 whichare transported toward clamping means 19, 20 which form clampingrecesses 29, and are part of rotary twisting and clamping means 19mounted in the housing portion 13. Other twisting and clamping means aremounted in the lower part of the main housing 12, and When an object isplaced between wires 25 and 26, the wires are cut off, and the ends ofthe cut off wire portions twisted together to form a tight loop aboutthe object. The twisted loop is best seen in FIG. 2 where it is shown totie two reinforcing iron rods 27 and 28 together.

When the motor, not shown, of the machine is started, the feedingrollers 90 and 91 are rotated, as will be explained hereinafter ingreater detail, and transport the wires 25 and 26 which pass from thesupply reels 21 and 22 into a pair of curved guide channels 23 and 24.Since the ends of the guide channels are parallel, the wires are forcedinto a parallel position, and move spaced from each other along avertical path. The feeding rollers 90 and 91 rotate only a limited time,so that a selected length of the wires is fed and transported to movebetween a pair of clamping means 17 and 18 and further between two pairs'of clamping means 19 and 20. Clamping means 19 and 20 have clampingrecesses 29, 30 for guiding the leading free ends of the wires 25 and 26into the proper position to be clamped by clamping means 19 and 20.

Clamping means 17, 18, 19 and 20 are urged by springs into a clampingpoistion and move resiliently apart when the wires are inserted betweenthe same. After the wires have been inserted into the clamping means,they are resiliently and frictionally held.

Each pair of clamping means forms part of rotary holding means 14 and15. The rotary holding means 14 and are mounted in the housing forrotation about a common axis defined by ball bearings. The lower holdingmeans 15 has an outer gear crown 15a meshing with a gear 16a on a driveshaft 16 which is mounted for rotation in ball bearings. A member 32includes a tubular sleeve slidable along drive shaft 16, and beingformed with a threaded bore into which a threaded shaft of a screw 33projects. The shaft of screw 33 is located in a slot of housing 13extending parallel to drive shaft 16, so that member 32 can be shiftedalong drive shaft 16 and secured by screw 33 in adjusted positions.Member 32 has an inner sleeve portion 34 to which the outer rings 35 and36 of ball bearings are secured, while the inner rings of the ballbearings are secured to the rotary holding means 14. Consequently,holding means 14 with clamping means 17 and 18 can be moved toward andaway from holding means 15 with clamping means 19 and for adjusting thedistance between the rotary holding means in accordance with thedimensions of the objects 27, 28 to be clamped. An annular cutting means37 is secured to the tubular part 34 and has two bores, best seen inFIG. 3,

registering with bores 38 and 39 in the holding means 14 in the initialposition of the machine. The two wires 25 and 26 are guided incorresponding parallel passages in tubular member 34, in the bores ofcutting means 37 and in the bores 38 and 39 of the rotary holding means14 when they are inserted between the clamping means 17 and 18.

A gear crown of substantial axial length is provided on a tubularportion 14a of the rotary holding means 14, and meshes with the gear1612 on shaft 16. Due to the axial length of the gear, the rotaryholding means 14 can be displaced by shifting member 32 in axialdirection of drive shaft 16, while the driving connection between driveshaft 16 and the rotary holding means 14 is maintained.

If in the position of FIG. 3, drive shaft 16 rotates the two rotaryholding means 14 and 15, the cutting means 37 will cut off wires 25 and26 adjacent clamping means 17, 18, and during further rotation of therotary holding means 14 and 15, the ends of the cut off wire portionswhich project in axial direction from the objects 27 and 28 will betwisted so that a wire loop having the form shown in FIG. 2 will beformed. Since the twisting of the wire ends causes a reduction of thelength of the wires, the twisted end portions are drawn out of theresilient clamping means 17, 18, and 19, 28 so that the completed wireloop is held only by the objects 27, 28 which thus can be removedtogether with the wire loop by which they are tied.

Drive shaft 16 is then automatically stopped in the initial positionthereof in which the clamping means 17, 18, 19 and 20 are againpositioned as shown in FIG. 3 to be adapted to receive the wires fed andtransported during a following operation. Thereupon, the machine can beplaced by the operator in a position in which the holding means 14 and15 are again located on opposite sides of a pair of objects 27, 28which, however, have to be placed between the clamping recesses 29 and30 of clamping means 19, 20 to assure that the wires fed during thefollowing operations will be located on opposite sides of objects 27, 28as is required for the formation of a twisted loop.

From the above description of a tying operation, it will become apparentthat the feeding means including feeding rollers 90, 91, and the rotaryholding means 14, 15, which may also be termed twisting and clampingmeans, are operated in a timed sequence. The necessary operating meanswill now be described with reference to FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5.

A finger operated member 40 is mounted on the handle portion 11 and heldby a spring 41 in a normal position in which a switch, not shown,controlled by member 40 disconnects the motor, not shown, located in thehousing portion 10 and driving the motor shaft which has a pinionportion at its end, as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 4. This pinion drives agear 51 which is secured to a shaft 52 which has a pinion portion 53adjacent gear 51, and carries at the other end thereof a freely turnablegear means including a pinion 54 and a gear 55 which meshes with apinion 64 which is connected to a gear 63. Another gear means is mountedon a transmission shaft, and includes a gear 56 meshing with shaftpinion 53 and having a pinion 57 meshing with a gear 58 which isconnected for rotation with a main shaft H. Consequently, shaft H iscontinuously driven as long as the motor operates and drives its shaft50. A pinion 62 is secured to auxiliary shaft H and meshes with gear 63.Consequently, pinion 54 is continuously driven from the motor throughshaft H and the above described gear trains, and drives a gear 48 whichis freely turnable on a control shaft S. Gear 48 has coupling fingers 47cooperating with coupling fingers 46 on a coupling disc 45 which isfixed to control shaft S. Spring means 47a oppose axial movement of agear 48 with coupling fingers 47 to the right into a position engagingcoupling fingers 46. A pin 49 on gear 48 is embraced by the fork-shapedend of a bell crank lever 43 which is mounted on the housing for turningmovement. The end of bell crank lever 43 is connected by a link to thefinger operated member 40, as best seen in FIG. 2, so that uponactuation of the finger engaging member 40, the coupling fingers 47 areshifted into engagement with the coupling fingers 46 whereby controlshaft S is coupled to the driven gear 48, and starts its rotation. Acatch portion 42 at the end of the upper arm of hell crank lever 43normally engages a recess 44 in the coupling member 45 to block controlshaft S in an initial position of rest when member 40 is operated, catchportion 42 is withdrawn from recess 44 so that coupling disc 45 canrotate with control shaft S. When member 40 is released by the operator,spring 47a cannot move gear 48 with coupling fingers 47 to aninoperative uncoupled position, since catch member 42 slides on theouter periphery of the coupling disc 45 until the same has completed onerevolution. After a single revolution, catch member 42 can snap intorecess 44, and arrest control shaft S in its initial position. Thefeeding and twisting operations are carried out during this singlerevolution, and when catch 42 snaps into recess 44, the finger operatedmember 40 is free to return to its normal position whereby the switch ofthe motor is disconnected so that the motor stops.

A pair of control cams 66 and 72 are mounted on control shaft S forrotation therewith. Control cam 66 has two cam tracks 67 and 68, andcontrol cam 72 has a cam track 75. Cam 66 has an elongated hub 65 with ahelical groove 69 which extends over about 60. A coupling ball 70 slidesin groove 69 and is confined in an opening of an elongated sleeve 71which is mounted for sliding move ment in axial direction on shaft S. Amanually oper ated means 73 is connected with sleeve 71, and has ahandle portion 73 projecting through a slot in housing 10, so thatsleeve 71 can be shifted by the operator. A ball bearing between themanually operated means 73 and sleeve 71 permits rotation of sleeve 71with control shaft S while the manually operated means 73 is blockedagainst rotary movement.

Control cam 72 has an inner axial groove 69 into which coupling ball 70projects. Consequently, when sleeve 71 is shifted in axial direction ofshaft S while the same is at a standstill, cam 72 is angularly displacedrelative to cam 66 by the adjusting means 73, 71, 70, 69 and 74. The

displacement of cam track 75 corresponds to the angle a indicated inFIG. between the position of the cam lobe 101 shown in solid and brokenlines, respectively.

Cam tracks 65 and 67 cooperate with cam follower pins 77 and 76, and camtrack 75 cooperates with the cam follower pin 78. The cam follower pins76, 77 and 78 are mounted on a slide member 79 which is guided oncontrol shaft S, on sleeve 71, and on the elongated hub of a pinion 62which is mounted on main shaft H. It is evident that in accordance withthe shape of the cam tracks 65, 67 and 75, the cam follower slide member79 will be displaced in axial direction. An arm of slide member 79 issecured to the outer ring of a ball bearing 79a whose inner ring isfixed to a hub portion of gear 58. When slide member 79 is shifted inaxial direction, gear 58, which is slidable in axial direction alongmain shaft H, is correspondingly displaced. The hub of gear 58 carries afixed coupling part 80 with coupling fingers 81 on one side and has onthe other side another coupling part with coupling fingers 83. Couplingfingers 83 are part of a first coupling means which includes a springloaded coupling part 61 carrying coupling fingers 84, and a gear 85.Coupling fingers 81 cooperate with coupling fingers 82 on a secondcoupling means 60 which has a bevel gear portion meshing with a bevelgear 94 secured to drive shaft 16. As best seen in FIG. 4, gear 85meshes with a gear 86 on a transmission shaft 87 which carries a pinion88 meshing with a pair of gears 89 to which the feeding and transportingrollers 90 and 91 are connected. Only one gear 89 connected with feedingroller 90 is shown in FIG. 4 for the sake of simplicity. Feeding rollers90 and 91 6 have grooves 92 of wedge-shaped cross section into which thewires 25 and 26 are respectively pressed by counter rollers cooperatingwith feeding rollers 90 and 91 and located on the other side of wires 25and 26 as viewed in FIG. 3.

When cam track of cam 70 displaces cam follower 78 to the right, gear 58is coupled with gear by the first coupling means 61, 83, 84 and feedingrollers and 91 are driven to transport wires 25 and 26. When cam track75 perm-its springs 61a to move coupling means 61 to a disengagedposition, the feeding rollers 90, 91 are no longer driven, and the Wiresstop. As a .result, the length of the wires fed to the rotary holdingmeans 14 and 15 depends on the time during which cam lobe 101 waseffective to cause drive of the feeding means 90, 91.

Cam track 67 of cam 66 is effective to shift gear 58 with the couplingparts 80, 81 and 83 to the left by acting on cam follower 77 whichdisplaces slide 79. Cam track 68 is effective to shift slide member 79with gear 58 and its coupling parts to the right. Cam track 68 effectsshifting of gear 58 to an intermediate position in which neither thefirst coupling for the feeding means nor the second coupling for thedrive shaft 16 is effective.

Arm 95 of slide 79 carries a pin 96 cooperating with a correspondingbore 97 in bevel gear and coupling 60. When bevel gear and couplingmeans 60 is in the initial position of rest after rotating with gear 58,spring 60a shifts coupling means 60 to the left so that pin 96 entersbore 97 and stops coupling means 60 with its bevel gear so that bevelgear 94 and drive shaft 16 are stopped, resulting in stopping of therotary holding means 14 and 15 in the initial position in which clampingmeans 17, 18 and 19, 20 are properly positioned to receive in their gapsthe wires fed through the guide channels in the tubular portion 34during a following operation.

The machine is operated as follows: In accordance with the dimensions ofthe reinforcing rods 27, 28 to be tied, the spacing between the tworotary twisting and clamping means is adjusted by shifting the upperrotary twisting and clamping means 14, 17, 18 in axial direction withmember 32 moving along drive shaft 16. FIG. 2 shows the widest spacingfor the largest rods 27, 28 since screw 33 is at the upper end of slot13a. Screw 33 is tightened so that the upper twisting and clamping means14 is secured in place. i

The operator, holding the machine by handle 11, 'holds and directs themachine to such a position that the reinforcing rods 27 and 28 arelocated between clamping means 17, 18 and 19, 20. Thereupon the operatorpresses member 40 into the handle against the action of spring 41. Thiscauses an automatic sequence of operations. First, the main switch, notshown, of the motor in housing part 10 is closed so that mot-or shaft 50rotates. At the same time, catch 42 of bell crank lever 43 is moved outof recess 44 so that coupling member 45 is free to rotate with controlshaft S which was blocked by catch member 42. The movement of fingerengaging member 40 also turns bel-l crank lever 43 in counterclockwisedirection as viewed in the drawing so that the coupling parts 47 and 46are connected. Since gear 48 of coupling part 47 is driven through thegear train 50, 51, 53, 56, 57, 58, H, 62, 63, 64, 55 and 54, controlshaft S starts to rotate together with main shaft H which is driven bygear 58.

By operation of the adjusting means 73, 71, 70, control cam 72 has beenplaced in a selected angular position relative to control cam 66, andupon rotation of control shaft S, both cam means 66 and 72 rotate insynchronism. The cam tracks 67 and 68 of cam 66 are in the positionindicated in FIG. 5 as 0 since this position is determined by catchmember 42. The first coupling means 61, 84, 83 and the second couplingmeans 80, 81, 82 are both disconnected. In accordance with the angularadjusted position of cam 72 cam lobe 101 is either in the position shownin solid lines, or in the position shown in broken lines, or in anintermediate position. In the position shown in solid lines, camfollower pin will be immediately engaged by cam lobe 161, so that thefirst coupling means 61, 84, 83 are coupled whereby the feeding means90, 91 are driven through gear train 89, 88, 87, 86 and 85, as best seenin FIG. 4. Wires 25 and 26 which in the initial position of the machineextended only to the cutting means 37 by which they were cut during thepreceding operation, are now advanced until the ends of wires 25, 26pass into the recesses 29, 30 of clamping means 19 and 20 whereupon thefeeding means stop. The feeding means will stop when the slide 79 ismoved back to its neutral position by cam track 67.

Depending on the time during which slide 79 was in ts right handposition, the feeding means will be effective for a longer or shortertime, and feed a corresponding longer or shorter portion of wires 25,26. The fed length of wires must correspond to the spacing between thetwo rotary holding means, or twisting and clam-ping means, which waspreviously determined by the adjusting means 32, 33. The wires must befed such a distance that the free leading ends thereof just project intothe clamping means 19 and 20 and are held by the same. The variation ofthe time of rotation of the feeding means 90, 91, and the correspondingadjustment of the fed length of the pair of wires, is determined byoperation of the adjusting means 73, 71, 70 which turn feed control cam72 relative to twisting control cam 66.

When the adjusting means '73, 71, 78 is in the right hand end positionshown in FIG. 2, cam lobe 101 is in the position indicated in brokenlines in FIG. and will not be effective during the entire angularmovement of control shaft S corresponding to the length of the cam lobe101, but will be effective during an angular turning move ment ofcontrol shaft S which is smaller by the angle a, as will be understoodfrom FIG. 5. Since coupling means 61, 84, 83 is thus effective onlyduring a small turning angle of control shaft S, that is for a shorterperiod than in the other position, feed rollers 90 will not turn as longas before, but for a .shorter time so that the wires 25 and 26 are fed ashorter distance, which corresponds to the minimum spacing between thetwo rotary twisting and clamping means. In this manner, irrespective ofthe space between the two rotary twisting and clamping means, the wireswill be fed such a distance that the ends thereof are just located inthe clamping means 19, 20.

After the operation of the feeding means has been started by cam 72, theedge 100 of a lobe of cam track 67 engages cam follower pin 72 andshifts the coupling parts 81, 83 to the left as viewed in the drawing,so that the first coupling means 61, 84, 83 is disconnected and thefeeding means stop.

When cam 66 has turned through 210, the leading edge 106 of a cam lobeof cam track 67 engages cam follower pin 76 and shifts coupling parts83, 31 to the left so that coupling fingers 81 engage coupling fingers82 of the second coupling means 61). The bevel gear of coupling means 60rotates bevel gear 94 with drive shaft 16 and gears 16a and 161) so thatthe holding means 14 and are rotated. Since cutting means 37 rotateswith holding means 14, the wires are immediately cut, whereupon the endsof the cut off wire portions which are respec tively clamped in clampingmeans 17, 18 and 19, are twisted and thereby shortened to tightlyembrace the reinforcing rods 27, 28, while the shortening of the twisted'wire portions also draws the wire ends out of the clamping means inwhich the wire ends are resiliently and frictionally held during thetwisting operation.

The rotation of holding means 14 and 15 is terminated when the cam lobeof cam track 68 engages cam follower pin 77 shortly before the end ofthe single revolution of control shaft S and displaces sleeve 79 to theright so that coupling means 60, 82, 81 is disengaged. Springs 60a urgecoupling means 61) to the left so that the stop pin 96 enters the bore97, and arrests drive shaft 16 in the desired initial position in whichthe clamping gaps of clamping means 17, 18, 19, 20 are properly locatedin the path of movement of the wires 25 and 26 whose ends are nowlocated at the cutting disc 37. The plane defined by the parallel wires25, 26 passes through the gap between the clamping means 17, 18 when pin96 is located in bore 97. Inertia causes coupling means 60 to move tothe position in which stop pin 96 is aligned with bore 97 after couplingmeans 60, 82, 81 has been disengaged.

Directly after drive shaft 16 is thus stopped, catch member 42 arrivesat the recess 44 of coupling member 45 and snaps into the same so thatthe coupling 64, 67 is disengaged. Member 40 moves to its inoperativeposition illustrated in solid lines in FIG. 2, so that the motor switch,not shown, is disconnected and the motor is stopped with its shaft 50which constitutes a drive means for all movable elements of the machine.

The wire tying machine of the present invention has the particularadvantage that it can be operated by unskilled workers since theoperations are carried out in a completely automatic sequence by theoperating means which include control shaft S, earns 66 and 72, and thefirst and second coupling means mounted on the main shaft H.

Since the rotary holding means 14, 17, 18 and 15, 19, 20 include theclamping means 17, 18 and 19, 20, respectively, and effect the twistingof the wire ends, they have also been referred to in the abovedescription as twisting and clamping means.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or twoor more together, may also find a useful application in other types oftying machines for tying loops of elongated elements, such as wires,differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in awire tying machine for tying a twisted loop about reinforcing rods of aconcrete structure, it is not intended to be limited to the detailsshown, since various modifications and structural changes may be madewithout departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can by applying current knowledgereadily adapt it for various applications without omitting featuresthat, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essentialcharacteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this inventionand, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to becomprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of thefollowing claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A wire tying machine comprising, in combination, feeding means fortransporting wires spaced from each other along a path; two rotaryholding means spaced along said path, each holding means being adaptedto hold portions of said wires and to twist the held wire portionstogether during rotation thereof whereby an object located between saidtwo holding means and said wires is tied by a twisted wire loop; cuttingmeans located between said feeding means and one of said holding meansfor cutting said wires; and operating means for operating said feedingmeans, for rotating said holding means and for actuating said cuttingmeans in a timed sequence.

2. A wire tying machine comprising, in combination, a portable supportadapted to be manually directed and including a handle; drive meansmounted on said support; supply means for two wires mounted on saidsupport; feeding means mounted on said support for transporting saidwires spaced from each other along a path; two rotary holding meanshaving a common axis extending along said path, said holding means beingmounted on said support spaced along said path, each holding means beingadapted to hold portions of said wires and to twist the held wireportions together during rotation thereof whereby an object locatedbetween said two holding means and said wires is tied by a twisted wireloop; cutting 9 means located between said feeding means and one of saidholding means for cutting said wires; and operating means mounted onsaid support and driven by said drive means for operating said feedingmeans, for rotating said holding means and for actuating said cuttingmeans in a timed sequence.

3. A wire tying machine comprising, in combination, a support; drivemeans mounted on said support; supply means for two wires mounted onsaid support; feeding means mounted on said support for transportingsaid wires spaced from each other along a path; two rotary holding meanshaving a common axis extending along said path, said holding means beingmounted on said support spaced along said path, each holding means beingadapted to hold portions of said wires and to twist the held wireportions together during rotation thereof whereby an object locatedbetween said two holding means and said wires is tied by a twisted wireloop; cutting means located between said guide means and one of saidholding means connected to the latter for rotation therewith and adaptedto out said wires at the beginning of the rotation of said holding meansand cutting means; and operating means mounted on said support anddriven by said drive means for operating said feeding means and forrotating said holding means and said cutting means in a timed sequence.

4. A wire tying machine comprising, in combination, a support; drivemeans mounted on said support; supply means for two Wires mounted onsaid support; feeding means mounted on said support for transportingsaid wires; guide means for guiding the transported wires from saidsupply means to a parallel position so that said feeding means transportsaid wires parallel to each other a selected distance along a path; tworotary holding means having a common axis extending along said path,said holding means being mounted on said support spaced along said patha distance corresponding to said selected distance so that the leadingends of the transported wires are inserted into the holding means whichis farther spaced from said feeding means, each holding means beingadapted to hold portions of said wires and to twist the held wireportions together during rotation thereof whereby an object locatedbetween said two holding means and said wires is tied by a twisted wireloop; cutting means located between said guide means and one of saidholding means connected to the latter for rotation therewith and adaptedto out said wires at the beginning of the rotation of said holding meansand cutting means; and operating means mounted on said support anddriven by said drive means for operating said feeding means and forrotating said holding means and said cutting means in a timed sequence.

5. A wire tying machine comprising, in combination, a portable supportadapted to be manually directed and including a handle; drive meansmounted on said support and including a one revolution clutch; supplymean-s for two wires mounted on said support; feeding means mounted onsaid support for transporting said wires; guide means for guiding thetransported wires from said supply means to a parallel position so thatsaid feeding means transport said wires parallel to each other aselected distance along a path; two rotary holding means having a commonaxis extending along said path, said holding means being mounted on saidsupport spaced along said path a distance corresponding to said selecteddistance so that the leading ends of the transported wires are insertedinto the holding means which is farther spaced from said feeding means,each holding means being adapted to hold portions of said wires and totwist the held wire portions together during rotation thereof whereby anobject located between said two holding means and said wires is tied bya twisted wire loop; cutting means located between said guide means andone of said holding means connected to the latter for rotation therewithand adapted to cut said wires at the beginning of the rotation of saidholding means and cutting means;

W and operating means mounted on said support and driven by said onerevolution clutch of said drive means for operating said feeding meansand for rotating said holding means and said cutting means in a timedsequence.

6. A wire tying machine comprising, in combination, feeding means fortransporting wires spaced from each other along a path; two rotaryholding means spaced along said path, each holding means includingautomatic clamping means adapted to clamp and frictionally hold portonsof said wires and to twist the held wire portions together duringrotation thereof whereby on object located between said two holdingmeans and said Wires is tied by a twisted wire loop; cutting meanslocated between said feeding means and one of said holding means forcutting said wires and the twisted wire portions are shortened and drawnout of said clamping means; and operating means for opera-ting saidfeeding means, for rotating said holding means and for actuating saidcutting means in a timed sequence.

7. A wire tying machine comprising, in combination, a support; drivemeans mounted on said support; supply means for two wires mounted onsaid support; feeding means mounted on said support for transportingsaid wires; guide means for guiding the transported wires from saidsupply means to a parallel position so that said feeding means transportsaid wires parallel to each other a selected distance along a path; tworotary holding means having a common axis extending along said path,said holding means being mounted on said support spaced along said patha distance corresponding to said selected distance so that the leadingends of the transported wires are inserted into the holding means whichis farther spaced from said feeding means, each holding means includingautomatic clamping means adapted to clamp and frictionally hold portionsof said wires and to twist the held wire portions together duringrotation thereof whereby an object located between said two holdingmeans and said wires is tied by a twisted wire loop and the twisted wireportions are shortened and drawn out of said clamping means; cuttingmeans located between said guide means and one of said holding meansconnected to the latter for rotation therewith and adapted to out saidwires at the beginning of the rotation of said holding means and cuttingmeans; and operating means mounted on said support and driven by saiddrive means for operating said feeding means and for rotating saidholding means and said cutting means in a timed sequence.

8. A wire tying machine comprising, in combination, a support; drivemeans mounted on said support; supply means for two wires mounted onsaid support; feeding means mounted on said support for transportingsaid wires spaced from each other along a path; two rotary holding meanshaving a common axis extending along said path, said holding means beingmounted on said support spaced along said path, each holding means beingadapted to hold portions of said wires and to twist the held wireportions together during rotation thereof whereby an object locatedbetween said two holding means and said wires is tied by a twisted wireloop; cutting means located between said guide means and one of saidholding means connected to the latter for rotation therewith and adaptedto cut said wires at the beginning of the rotation of said holding meansand cutting means; first coupling means for connecting said drive meanswith said feeding means; second coupling means for connecting said drivemeans with said rotary hold ing means; and control means driven by saiddrive means and operatively connected with said first and secondcoupling means for successively operating the same so that said feedingmeans transports said two wires a selected distance for inserting theends of the transported wires into the holding means farther spaced fromsaid feeding means and then stops whereupon said holding means andcut-ting means are rotated to cut said wires and to twist said wireportions.

9. A Wire tying machine comprising, in combination, a support; drivemeans mounted on said support; supply means for two wires mounted onsaid support; feeding means mounted on said support for transportingsaid wires spaced from each other along a path; two rotary holding meanshaving a common axis extending along said path, said holding means beingmounted on said support spaced along said path, each holding meansincluding automatic clamping means adapted to clamp and frictionallyhold portions of said Wires and to twist the held wire portions togetherduring rotation thereof whereby an object located between said twoholding means and said wires is tied by a twisted wire loop and thetwisted wire portions are shortened and drawn out of said clampingmeans; cutting means located between said guide means and one of saidholding means connected to the latter for rotation therewith and adaptedto out said wires at the beginning of the rotation of said holding meansand cutting means; first coupling means for connecting said drive meanswith said feeding means; second coupling means for connecting said drivemeans with said rotary holding means; and control means including acontrol shaft, a one revolution clutch connecting said drive means withsaid control shaft, and means operatively connecting said control shaftwith said first and second coupling means for successively operating thesame so that said feeding means transports said two Wires a selecteddistance for inserting the ends of the transported wires into theholding means farther spaced from said feeding means and then stopswhereupon said holding means and cutting means are rotated to cut saidWires and to twist said wire portions.

10. A wire tying machine comprising, in combination, a support; drivemeans mounted on said support; supply means for two wires mounted onsaid support; feeding means mounted on said support for transportingsaid wires spaced from each other along a path; two rotary holding meanshaving a common axis extending along said path, said holding means beingmounted on said support spaced along said path, each holding means beingadapted to hold portions of said wires and to twist the held wireportions together during rotation thereof whereby an object locatedbetween said two holding means and said wires is tied by a twisted wireloop; cutting means located between said guide means and one of saidholding means connected to the latter for rotation therewith and adaptedto cut said wires at the beginning of the rotation of said holding meansand cutting means;

first coupling means for connecting said drive means with said feedingmeans; second coupling means for connecting said drive means with saidrotary holding means; and control means including a control shaft, a onerevolution clutch connecting said drive means with said control shaft,first and second cam means mounted on said control shaft for rotationtherewith, adjusting means for adjusting the angular position of saidfirst cam means, means connecting said control shaft with said first andsecond coupling means and including first and second cam follower meansrespectively cooperating with said first and second cam means forsuccessively operating said first and second coupling means so that saidfeeding means transports said two wires a selected distance forinserting the ends of the transported wires into the holding meansfarther spaced from said feeding means and then stops whereupon saidholding means and cutting means are rotated to cut said wires and totwist said wire portions.

11. A wire tying machine comprising, in combination, a support; drivemeans mounted on said support; supply means for two wires mounted onsaid support; feeding means mounted on said support for transportingsaid wires spaced from each other along a path; two rotary holding meanshaving a common axis extending along said path, said holding means beingmounted on said 12 support spaced along said path, each holding meansbeing adapted to hold portions of said wires and to twist the held wireportions together during rotation there-of whereby an object locatedbetween said two holding means and said wires is tied by a twisted wireloop; first adjusting means for moving one of said holding means towardand away from the other holding means so that the holding means arespaced from each other in accordance with the dimensions of the object;cutting means located between said guide means and one of said holdingmeans connected to the latter for rotation therewith and adapted to outsaid wires at the beginning of the rotation of said holding means andcutting means; first coupling means for connecting said drive means withsaid feeding means; second coupling means for connecting said drivemeans with said rotary holding means; and control means including acontrol shaft, a one revolution clutch connecting said drive means withsaid control shaft, first and second cam means mounted on said controlshaft for rotation therewith, second adjusting means for adjusting theangular position of said first cam means corresponding to the adjustmentof said one holding means by said first adjusting means, meansconnecting said control shaft with said first and second coupling meansand including first and second cam follower means respectivelycooperating with said first and second cam means for successivelyoperating said first and second coupling means so that said feedingmeans transports said two wires a selected distance corresponding to theadjusted distance between said two holding means under the control ofsaid adjusted first cam means for inserting the ends of the transportedwires into the holding means farther spaced from said feeding means andthen stops whereupon said holding means and cutting means are rotated tocut said wires and to twist said wire portions.

12. A machine as set forth in claim 11 wherein said second cam means hasa hub surrounding said control shaft, said hub having a helical groove;wherein said second adjusting means include a sleeve mounted on said hubfor axial movement surrounded by said first cam means and having anopening, said first cam means having an axial groove disposed on saidopening; a ball mounted in said opening and partly located in saidhelical and axial grooves and axially movable with said sleeve; andmanually operated means for axially shifting said sleeve whereby saidfirst cam means is turned relative to said second cam means.

13. A machine as set forth in claim 9 wherein said drive means is amotor shaft connected with said one revolution clutch; and including adrive shaft driven from said second coupling means and having an axisperpendicular to said motor shaft and parallel to said common axis ofrotation of said two rotary holding means; and transmission meansconnecting said drive shaft with said holding means for rotation andincluding means connecting said drive shaft with said one holding meansso as to permit movement of said one holding means in axial direction.

14. A machine as set forth in claim 13 and including a pair of meshingbevel gears respectively connected to said second coupling means and tosaid drive shaft for rotation; and a stop for arresting said secondcoupling means, bevel gears and driving shaft in a position of rest inwhich said clamping means are positioned to receive said wires.

15, A machine as set forth in claim 13 and including a gear driven fromsaid motor shaft; a main shaft; a gear means mounted on said main shaftfor axial movement connected thereto for rotation and meshing with saidgear; said first and second coupling means each including first couplingparts secured to said gear means and second coupling parts mounted forrotation on said main shaft so that by axial shifting of said gear meanswith said first coupling parts said first or second coupling means isselectively placed in a coupling position.

16. A machine for tying and twisting elongated elements about an object,comprising two rotary twisting and clamping means adapted tofrictionally clamp the elements, having a common axis of rotation andbeing spaced along said axis of rotation from each other; feeding meansfor feeding selected lengths of parallel elongated elements outwardly ofan object located between said twisting and clamping means to saidtwisting and clamping means so that the leading end portions of saidelongated elements are clamped by one twisting and 10 clamping means andother portions of said elongated elements are clamped by the othertwisting and clamping means; cutting means for cutting said elementsadjacent said other portions; and means for operating said feedingmeans, cutting means, and twisting and clamping means so that said endportions and said other portions are, respectively, twisted together andthereby shortened and withdrawn from said twisting and clamping means topermit removal of said object with a twisted loop formed of the cut offportions of said elongated elements.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,726,598 12/55Tice IUD-31 2,796,662 6/57 Saum 10031 3,169,559 2/65 Working 140119CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner.

1. A WIRE TYING MACHINE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, FEEDING MEANS FORTRANSPORTING WIRES SPACED FROM EACH OTHER ALONG A PATH; TWO ROTARYHOLDING MEANS SPACED ALONG SAID PATH, EACH HOLDING MEANS BEING ADAPTEDTO HOLD PORTIONS OF SAID WIRES AND TO TWIST THE HELD WIRE PORTIONSTOGETHER DURING ROTATION THEREOF WHEREBY AN OBJECT LOCATED BETWEEN SAIDTWO HOLDING MEANS AND SAID WIRES IS TIED BY A TWISTED WIRE LOOP; CUTTINGMEANS LOCATED BETWEEN SAID